Nearly seventy years ago, a meteor struck the earth, and on it was a mysterious parasite. Discovered by Merle Cyrus, this highly contagious parasite was later named after her and then shortened to the ‘Mercy parasite’. It appeared symbiotic in nature, providing it’s host with numerous health benefits in addition with enhanced physical abilities. It seemed that the only downside to it was that upon contraction, it left a minor burn-like blackened scar when it worked it’s way into the body through the skin. It spread quickly due to people wishing to take advantage of it’s properties, particularly terminally ill people, who invariably recovered. Within ten years, over two thirds of the population was infected, and that’s when the parasite changed into something nobody had considered.
Ninety five percent of the infected population began to metamorphose into twisted, mutated creatures incapable of compassion or reason, things that spread suffering and the virus. The burns left by contraction spread over their entire bodies, and they lost sapience.
Five percent of the infected population didn’t lose their minds, but parts of them became blackened and scarred from the burns, and they suffered from paranoia, hallucinations and the gradual onset of mild to moderate dementia. Despite the fact that these people weren’t necessarily hostile, uninfected humans still killed many of them in fear of them becoming hostile.
It’s been four years and the cities have been abandoned in favour of smaller towns that can be barricaded and defended easily. The cities still have many Mercies in them, and there are many that roam the wilds, picking off travellers and those foolish enough to stray too far from towns, but there haven’t been any big massacres since Alpha,the first big town to be set up, fell due to being too close to a city. That’s not to say that people don’t still venture close to it, looking for treasures and technology that hasn’t been scavenged by those before them that were brave enough to try their luck and lucky enough to survive.
Hosted and narrated by:
Ssailit
Started 08/09/15.
Scenes played: 4
License: Community License
